Marble Pound Cake
This marble pound cake wasn’t thrown together. It’s the result of structured testing, ingredient adjustments, and learning what actually makes chocolate flavor stand out. Using espresso bloomed cocoa and a proven cream cheese base creates balance in every slice. If you want a marble pound cake that looks good and tastes even better, this is it.
Servings: 12 slices
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 oz (227g) cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (248g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (24g) dutch processed cocoa powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp espresso or hot coffee
Ganache
- ⅔ cup semi sweet chocolate 4 oz
- 6 Tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Make sure the butter, cream cheese, and eggs are at room temperature. Room-temperature ingredients trap air more easily when beaten, which results in a lighter, better-textured pound cake.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and beat for another 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Properly creaming the butter and sugar is key to pound cake’s texture—set a timer and don’t skip this step.1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, 8 oz (227g) cream cheese, 1 ¼ cups (248g) granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.3 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Stop slightly early and finish mixing with a spatula to avoid overmixing. The batter will be thick. Divide the batter evenly between two bowls and set aside.
- To bloom the cocoa powder, combine the Dutch-processed cocoa powder, salt, and espresso or hot coffee in a small bowl until a thick, pudding-like mixture forms. Add this cocoa mixture to one bowl of batter and mix on low speed until fully combined.¼ cup (24g) dutch processed cocoa powder, ⅛ tsp salt, 3 Tbsp espresso or hot coffee
- Generously butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan. This recipe will not fit in an 8.5×4.5-inch pan.
- Add ½ cup of vanilla batter to the bottom of the pan and spread into an even layer. Add ½ cup of chocolate batter on top, then continue alternating between vanilla and chocolate batter. Gently shake the pan as needed to help level the batter. Use a thin spatula or skewer to create a few large swirls—be careful not to over-swirl. Smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 50 minutes. Check the cake at that point—if the top is browning too much, loosely tent with aluminum foil and continue baking for 10–15 minutes. If you don’t need to tent at 50 minutes, continue checking every 5 minutes.
- Total bake time: 60–65 minutes for a 9×5-inch pan.
- Allow the pound cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the ganache: Place the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30–60 seconds, or until hot and bubbling. Add the chocolate chips and let sit for 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Let the ganache cool slightly, then spoon it over the loaf and spread into an even layer. Allow the ganache to set before slicing.⅔ cup semi sweet chocolate, 6 Tbsp heavy cream
Notes
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. I used King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour with great results.
- To Store: Wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To Make Ahead: Bake the loaf one day ahead and add the ganache the day of serving for best texture and appearance.
- To Freeze: Freeze the loaf without ganache, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and add ganache before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice